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September 29
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Robyn
is currently reading:
Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body (Hardcover)
by Jennifer Ackerman
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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September 28
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Robyn
gave
to:
Gilead: A Novel (Paperback)
by Marilynne Robinson
bookshelves:
2008
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Robyn said:
"Ugh. It's been a long time since I've struggled through a book, and maybe that's part of what made me think so little of Gilead. The concept and the format of an old, dying man writing his life story to his son was right on point, but the content and...more
Ugh. It's been a long time since I've struggled through a book, and maybe that's part of what made me think so little of Gilead. The concept and the format of an old, dying man writing his life story to his son was right on point, but the content and execution didn't live up. I found few redeeming points in this story, and found the narrator's tone really self serving, leaving little room for feeling like he actually tried to make any sort of connection with the letter's recipient. He should have spent more time actually experiencing what was left of his life with his son instead of choosing to be isolated reflecting on the years already passed....less
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September 20
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Robyn
gave
to:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (Paperback)
by Mark Haddon
bookshelves:
2008
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Robyn said:
"There wasn't much substance to this story, and I think that was probably the point - the focus was more on the thoughts of the autistic narrator. In my mind, Haddon's descriptions linked being autistic with being in a foreign country - which means t...more
There wasn't much substance to this story, and I think that was probably the point - the focus was more on the thoughts of the autistic narrator. In my mind, Haddon's descriptions linked being autistic with being in a foreign country - which means that even though I wasn't impressed with the book, I liked Haddon's insight enough to give him another chance....less
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September 18
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Robyn
is currently reading:
Faithless: Tales of Transgression (Paperback)
by Joyce Carol Oates
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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September 08
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Robyn
marked as to-read:
The Walk West: A Walk Across America 2 (Walk West)
by Peter Jenkins
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Robyn
marked as to-read:
The Road Unseen (Hardcover)
by Peter Jenkins
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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August 30
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Robyn
gave
to:
1776
by David McCullough
bookshelves:
2008
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in August, 2008
Robyn said:
"This is truly a story of great men. I enjoyed reading about the struggles and decisions that had to be made to get us to where we are today. It's staggering to think of how easily it would have been for George Washington to have conformed under the p...more
This is truly a story of great men. I enjoyed reading about the struggles and decisions that had to be made to get us to where we are today. It's staggering to think of how easily it would have been for George Washington to have conformed under the pressure of the popular opinion, and of what the consequences would have been had he done so. This also made me realize that each of the events had to happen as they did in order to set the stage for America....less
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August 26
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Robyn
gave
to:
Take the Cannoli : Stories From the New World (Paperback)
by Sarah Vowell
bookshelves:
2008
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in August, 2008
Robyn said:
"I just didn't get it. This probably has something to do with the one-too-many references to art history and old pop culture that went right over my head. Had I been born two decades earlier (or been a liberal arts major), maybe I'd feel differently....more
I just didn't get it. This probably has something to do with the one-too-many references to art history and old pop culture that went right over my head. Had I been born two decades earlier (or been a liberal arts major), maybe I'd feel differently.....less
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August 25
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Robyn
gave
to:
The Life and Times of Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir (Paperback)
by Bill Bryson
bookshelves:
2008
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in August, 2008
Robyn said:
"I'm a believer that every book has redeeming qualities - and what saved this one was the conversational writing style of Bill Bryson. This was my first exposure to Bryson, and although the subject really didn't hook me, his writing did. I felt like I...more
I'm a believer that every book has redeeming qualities - and what saved this one was the conversational writing style of Bill Bryson. This was my first exposure to Bryson, and although the subject really didn't hook me, his writing did. I felt like I was sitting in a room with just him, having a talk on what life was like growing up in small town America circa 1950. Even so, something tells me that if I was in a room with just him, the conversation would feel rehearsed. I can't help but think 'once you've read one Bill Bryson book, you've read them all..' Meaning, I'm going to pass judgment on the rest of his books based entirely on the ease of his writing in this one, and guess that he's got a formula worked out to hook readers in. And it works. Because I don't think books should be a sure-thing for any writer, and I don't want to fall for it, I'm going to be really selective in choosing the next Bryson novel to make my shelves.
...less
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Robyn
gave
to:
A Walk Across America (Paperback)
by Peter Jenkins
bookshelves:
2008
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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